Xuenou > Movies > 15 Afro Latine Celebs Who Prove Why Representation In Hollywood Is So Important
15 Afro Latine Celebs Who Prove Why Representation In Hollywood Is So Important
While promoting her movie <i>Bolden</i> back in 2019, Yaya DaCosta told theGrio how important it is that mainstream media is finally recognizing the fact that Black Latine people exist. "It’s nice that people are actually realizing what Latin America actually looks like and that there’s diversity," she said. "That yes, we speak Portuguese and Spanish… It’s nice that there is more inclusion, but it’s just the beginning."

15 Afro Latine Celebs Who Prove Why Representation In Hollywood Is So Important

1. Jharrel Jerome

Ali Goldstein / ABC via Getty Images

“What we see in the mass Latino media is European, European, European.” she told Fordham News in a 2016 interview with her alma mater. “We haven’t talked enough about where this colorism comes from, about that history, how color was just used to pide us and create self-loathing. But there shouldn’t be any doubt when you look in the mirror that you are a beautiful representation of your race and culture.”

3. Zoe Saldaña

Gregg Deguire / WireImage / Getty Images

Saldaña is no stranger to sci-fi projects, as the Dominican and Puerto Rican actor has played Nyota Uhura in the Star Trek film series and Neytiri in the Avatar film series — and, of course, she’s played Gamora of the Marvel Cinematic Universe in the Guardians of the Galaxy movies, Avengers: Infinity War, and Avengers: Endgame. Despite her talent and success in Hollywood, she’s also faced negative experiences in the industry. In a 2018 interview with Porter, she shared how challenging it was to land a lead role as an Afro-Latine actor.

Walt Disney Co. / Courtesy Everett Collection

“Every time I read a script, even if it was a period piece, I read it thinking that I was going to go after the lead role. It wasn’t until I would come across the introduction of a supporting ethnic role that I realized, ‘Oh.’ I wasn’t even allowed to try to get that main role, because ‘they want to go traditional on the part,'” she said. “I would hang up on that conversation from my agents, thinking, ‘What about me is non-traditional?’ It was a very hard pill to swallow.”

4. Emayatzy Corinealdi

Michael Buckner / Variety via Getty Images

The Afro-Panamanian actor made her film debut starring in Ava DuVernay’s Middle of Nowhere, which earned her the Gotham Independent Film Award for Breakthrough Actor as well as an African-American Film Critics Association Award for Best Actress. After the movie’s premiere, Corinealdi spoke about her journey in Hollywood and overcoming challenges as a Black actor — and spending years turning down parts that often “lacked substance” or stereotyped Black women.

AFFRM / Courtesy Everett Collection

“The truth is I’m a Black actress in Hollywood, and that’s hard,” she told Los Angeles Times. “But that doesn’t mean I have to live in that space. It’s our responsibility to try and change that, to do whatever we can to contribute to make that change. That’s the important thing.” Since Middle of Nowhere, she’s starred in movies like Don Cheadle’s Miles Ahead and been on TV shows like BallersThe Red Line, and Evil.

5. Y’lan Noel

Steven Ferdman / Getty Images

Before portraying Daniel King in Insecure, Noel played the lead role in the Purge franchise’s fourth movie, The First Purge. Since then, the actor, who is of Panamanian descent, has also been in the comedy, The Weekend, and the romantic drama, The Photograph.

HBO

Most recently, he starred in a pilot for Lee Daniels’s The Spook Who Sat by the Door — which is reportedly being redeveloped. 

6. Michaela Antonia Jaé Rodriguez

Matt Winkelmeyer / Getty Images

Before her breakout role in Pose, the Afro-Puerto-Rican actor and singer got her start on TV in small roles on shows like Nurse Jackie, The Carrie Diaries, and Luke Cage. Since the premiere of Pose in 2018, Rodriguez has been nominated for and won numerous awards for her performances — including winning a Golden Globe for Best Actress in a TV drama this year. In an interview with Latina, Rodriguez spoke about her connection to and celebration of her Black and Latine culture, especially as she navigates her accomplishments in Hollywood.

Eric Liebowitz / FX / Courtesy Everett Collection

“One thing that I learned as an Afro-Latina, is that I should never, ever, ever be afraid — which I never was — but it was always instilled in me, to never be afraid of your heritage,” she said. “Like, if you are culturally expressing yourself, never be afraid to express yourself, whether you’re playing Celia Cruz, Maluma, or Jennifer Lopez, never be afraid to do that.” Rodriguez currently stars in the Apple TV+ comedy, Loot, alongside Maya Rudolph, Joel Kim Booster, Ron Funches, and Nat Faxon.

7. Tristan Wilds

Rodin Eckenroth / Getty Images

You probably recognize Wilds from his teen roles in The Secret Life of Bees (where he costarred with Dakota Fanning), The Wire, and 90210. The Afro-Dominican actor also starred in Adele’s music video for “Hello” and has pursued his own music career.

CW Network / Courtesy Everett Collection

His debut album, New York: A Love Story, was nominated for Best Urban Contemporary Album at the 2014 Grammy Awards, and he released his second album, AfterHours, in 2017.

8. Yaya DaCosta

Frazer Harrison / Getty Images

Back in the mid-’00s, DaCosta was runner-up in Cycle 3 of America’s Next Top Model, and since then, her career has flourished. The Afro-Brazilian actor and model has had several roles in movies and TV shows, including being part of the main cast on Chicago Med and starring in the Fox drama, Our Kind of People. While promoting her movie Bolden back in 2019, DaCosta told theGrio how important it is that mainstream media is finally recognizing the fact that Black Latine people exist.

Nbc / NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images

“It’s nice that people are actually realizing what Latin America actually looks like and that there’s persity,” she said. “That yes, we speak Portuguese and Spanish… It’s nice that there is more inclusion, but it’s just the beginning.”

9. Tessa Thompson

Pascal Le Segretain / Getty Images for Lexus

Thompson has been all over the TV and film world in the past few years, but the actor, who is of Afro-Panamanian and Mexican descent, got her start in theater. She’s been nominated for and won awards for her roles, like winning the Gotham Independent Film Award for Breakthrough Actor for Dear White People and winning the Black Reel Award for Best Supporting Actress for Creed.

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures / Marvel Studios / Courtesy Everett Collection

Since then, she’s had quite the range of roles throughout her career — like starring as Valkyrie in the MCU and Agent M in Men in Black: International to starring in the romantic drama, Sylvie’s Love, and the period film Passing. Plus, she’ll be reprising her role as Bianca Taylor once again in Creed III, which comes out in 2023.

10. Colman Domingo

Amy Sussman / Getty Images

The actor has an extensive acting resume — which includes highlights like receiving a Tony Award nomination for his performance in The Scottsboro Boys on Broadway and winning a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series this year for his portrayal of Ali in Euphoria.

Hulu

Domingo has had roles in other popular movies and TV shows, such as If Beale Street Could Talk, Zola, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, and Fear The Walking Dead. After receiving his Emmy for his Euphoria role, Domingo spoke about his Guatemalan and Belizean heritage and the support he’s received from his family. “They’re very proud of me being a part of this and representing not only Afro-Latinos but also representing humble people from West Philadelphia as well. You know, working-class parents and stepfathers and mothers, so I think I represent so many of them, so it feels really good,” he said. 

11. Melissa De Sousa

Paul Archuleta / FilmMagic / Getty

The Afro-Panamanian actor starred as Shelby in the ’90s comedy-drama The Best Man and The Best Man Holiday, which earned an NAACP Image Award nomination for her performance. She’s also known for her role in BET’s sitcom Reed Between the Lines and for portraying Ana Lopez in The CW’s superhero series Black Lightning. De Sousa, who’s from NYC, has been transparent about her journey in Hollywood and staying motivated — even during times of rejection and being unemployed for two or three years.

Universal / Courtesy Everett Collection

“There was a time I didn’t have an agent for one reason or another. When the agent dropped me I was like, ‘OK, maybe I am not in the business anymore,'” she told Rolling Out. “You have to have an attitude that nothing’s gonna stop me. I think that’s just my New York kind of attitude — survival of the fittest.”

12. Jorge Lendeborg Jr.

Frazer Harrison / Getty Images

The Dominican actor has been landing roles in some of the most popular titles in the past few years. He’s appeared in Marvel’s Spider-Man: Homecoming and Spider-Man: Far From Home as Jason Ionello.

Sony Pictures Releasing

He’s also had roles in Love, SimonBumblebee, and Alita: Battle Angel. Most recently, he starred in American Carnage, which features a horror-thriller storyline with Latine youth.

13. Rosie Perez

Cindy Ord / Getty Images

The Puerto Rican actor, who identifies as Afro-Latino, had breakthrough roles in Spike Lee’s Do the Right Thing and the ’90s sports comedy White Men Can’t Jump. Over the years, she’s done it all from co-hosting on The View to playing superhero Renee Montoya/Question in the DC Extended Universe movie, Birds of Prey, to voice acting in shows like Human Resources.

Universal / Courtesy Everett Collection

Perez also stars as Megan Briscoe in The Flight Attendant, which has earned her an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series. 

14. Laz Alonso

Leon Bennett / Getty Images

Alonso is known for his role in Avatar and for playing Fenix Calderon in Fast & Furious. The Afro-Cuban actor’s other roles include Detroit — where he played Congressman John Conyers among an ensemble cast that included Will Poulter, Algee Smith, and John Boyega — and playing opposite Gabrielle Union and Jessica Alba in L.A.’s Finest. While speaking to BuzzFeed News about his role in The Mysteries of Laura, he spoke about playing an Afro-Latine detective and the importance of representing the persity of Latine people on screen.

20th Century Fox / Courtesy Everett Collection

“People are becoming a lot more sensitive and aware that there are different kinds of Latin; there are different kinds of Black people. I just think it’s beautiful to show that persity within our race.” he said. Alonso is currently part of the main cast of the Amazon Prime Video superhero series The Boys. 

15. And Gina Torres

David Livingston / Getty Images

Torres is known for portraying Zoë Washburne in the sci-fi series Firefly and playing Jessica Pearson in the legal drama Suits — and she’s also played supporting roles in several TV shows, like Gossip Girl, Hannibal, and Westworld. In 2019, Torres, who is Cuban-American, was the first Afro-Latine actor to create, produce, and star in her own show, Pearson, a spin-off of Suits.

FOX Image Collection via Getty Images

She currently plays Tommy Vega in 9-1-1: Lone Star and stars in the upcoming rom-com for Netflix, The Perfect Find.

We love to see it! This list featured just a few of so many talented Afro-Latine actors in Hollywood who deserve wayyy more recognition. Who would you add to this list? Let us know in the comments below!

Latine Heritage Month is here! Join us in celebrating from September 15 to October 15 and support our content celebrating la cultura.

Charlotte Gomez / BuzzFeed